Separable fastener



June 22 1926. 1,589,498

E. M. WHITNEY SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Dec. 21, 1925 f f/fi Wfi 27 3'; I 22 y ATTORNEY ing units;

' portions 11. lnterspaced from Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES ERNEST M. WHITNEY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND! snranannn rnsrnmra.

Application' filed December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,651.

invention relates to separable fastenors of the type comprising series of interlocking units longitudinally disposed upon the adjacent edges of material le hs, and engaged or disengaged by a, sh able member movable in opposite directions upon units. The materiallengths may be embodied in footwear, bags, pouches, garments and other articles.

The essential objects ofamy invention are security of engagement of the interlocking units with each other and with the slidable member under all conditionsfacility of in terengagement and release or the interlockthe prevention of accidental movement of the locking member at any determined point of its travel as well as insurance against accidental escape; and the attainment of these ends in a simple and inexpensive structure. I

To the above ends essentially my invention consists in such parts and in such combinations of arts as fall within-the scope of the appen ed claims.

"in the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification- Figure l is a front elevation of a fastener embodying my invention,

Figure 2, a of the same, the front of the slidable memher being broken away, as well as certain of the interlocking units,

Figures 3 and 4, sections taken on lines 3-3, 4-4, respectively of Figure 1, and

Figures 5 and 6, side elevations of the receiving and entrant locking members respectively.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In the form of my invention herein shown 16 represents the material lengths to the margins of which my fastener is applied. Herein the adjacent edges of the lengths are folded to form longitudinal shouldered edge each other in longitudinal series upon one of the edge portions are interlockinglreceiving units or posts represented genera y by the reference character 13. Each of these comprise a substantially rectangular oblong body 14 with a rounded forward end 15 and a rear end recessed or bifurcated as at 17 to form jaws 18 for engaging one of theshouldered portions 11 of the lengths 10. Near its outer end the body has a transverse hole 20 extending'between the lateral faces at the .body isarched prising plane rear similar fragmentary elevation end of the body of the former, while upon the top and bottom faces are cylindrical gi ide posts or trunnions 22 in transverse- 1 cut with the holes. pon the adjacent ed e of the o posite len h are a longitudinally dispose series of interlocking entrant units 24 arranged in staggered relation to the units 13. Each unit 24 has an oblong rectangular body 25 recessed as at 26 to form rearwardly directed jaws 27 to'engage the ed e portion 11 of the second length 10. The orward end of the and laterally extended to directed shoulders 29 comfac'es disposed at right angles to the body, and arcuate front faces and adapted to rock into the holes 20 of the adjacent receiving members. vUpon the top and bottom of the end of the body 25 are posts or trunnions 31 in the transverse plane of the shoulders so disposed as to be in serial longitudinal alignment with the form oppositely posts 22 when the units 13 and 24 are inter engaged.

A slide 32'for controlling the interlockin units comprises a bottom plate 33 connecte with a parallel top plate 34 by a neck 35 at its upper end. A staple 36 disposed centrally of the slide near its upper end has its legs 37 fast in the bottom plate and extending through holes 38 in the top plate, and its loop 39 projecting from the latter. The inner faces of both plates have Y shaped grooves 40, the diverging arms of which onclose the portions 37 of the staple. Slidably mounted on the latter is a tlat lever or finger piece 42 having out and bent fre the material of its central portion a r ent longitudinally disposed tongue 43 g upon its free end a rearwardly directed linger 44' an opening 45 in the plate into one of the grooves 40. The posts 31 register in thegrooves 40 hence the finger 44 is in the path of the advancing posts, and intercepts the movement of when the lever is depressed described. The end of thelever 34 has a cam protection 46 engageable with the top plate, and adjacent the former is a hole 47 to admit loose- 1y therethrough the loop 39. It is evident, therefore, that the lever 42 may be manually moved in an arc to and from the late 34, and be held in contact with the atter by the cam. If, as the finger 44 advances, its. end in .the first instance strikes the end of a post 31 the resiliency of the tongue 43 extending "through the slideconstruction. It is evident that as the slide ities and insures a rigid seating in the en-' gaged units.

ress of the parts.

advances over these three stop units one of the opposite units 24 will be blocked against engagement and" thus prevent prog- 51 represents a wire binder or loop enaging and closing the lower ends of the ingths.

It -will be observed that the arcuate construction of the front faces of the free ends of the units 24 combined with the right angular disposition of'their rear faces facilitate their entrance into the adjacent cavhe presence of the posts or trunnions 31 and their movement through the grooves 40 form a positive and strong guide, and afford perfect interlockingmovement of the units. The posts and groove construction also enable the slide to be ofsinaller dimensions than is the case where, as heretofore, the slide was re%uired to extend across and entirely enclose oth series ofunits.

The slide as thus constructed insures a firm lock a ainst accidental sliding, a result impossibfia where the friction of compressed plates is employed for this purpose.

I claim 1. In a separable fastener, material lengths, interlocking receiving units upon one length provided with lateral holes in their end portions, posts upon the top and bottom of the units in transverse alignment with the holes, interlocking entrant unitsdisposed upon the other material length in alternate relation to the first units, lateral shoulders upon the second units adapted to register in the holes of the first units, posts upon the end portions of the second units in the transverse plane of the shoulders, and a slide adapted to successively engage the interlocked units provided with a groove adapted to ids and align the posts upon the first an second units in a single longitudinal series.

. one length provide 2. In a separable fastener, material lengths, interlockin receiving units upon with lateral holes, interlocking entrant units upon the second length staggered with relation to the receiving units, shoulders upon the sides of the entrant units registerable in the holes of adjacent receiving units, posts upon the receiving units and entrant units, a slide com ris ng rigidly connected plates" provide with guide channels upon their inn'er faces adapted to receive the osts, one of said plates bein provided with ano ning, a lever pivotafiy mounted upon tii; last mentioned plate, and a finger carried by the lever adapted to enter the opening in the path of the posts. I

3. In a separable fastener, lengths, interlocking receiving units.upon one length provided with lateral holes, in-

terlocking entrant units upon the second length, lateral shoulders on the entrant units material V registerable in the holes, posts upon the.

receiving and entrant units in longitudinal series, a slide comprising an upper plate provided with a Y shaped groove adapted to slidably receive certain of the posts a lower plate provided with a groove adapted to receive the remaining posts, said upper plate being provided with an opening extendinginto the first-groove, on the upper plate, a lever provided with a hole through which the loop loosely passes, a cam on the lever withinthe loop, a resilient tongue integral with the lever, and a finger on the tongue extending through the last mentioned hole into the path of the osts. p 4. In a separable fastener, -material lengths, inters aced interlocking units exten ing throug out the extent of one len h, interspaced interlocking units exten ing a staple loop throughout a portion ofthe extent of the 1 other length in staggered relation to a part of the first units, a plurality of noninterspaced like, fixed units upon. the remaining portion of the second length opposite the.

remainder of the first units and in contact with each other, and a slide slidably mounted upon the units.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ERNEST M.. WHITNEY. 

